florals

Spring passages

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In amongst the hustle and bustle of the past week I noticed the whitest of lilac blossoms peeking out amongst the green leaves.  Whereas the purple lilacs are now past their bloom, the white lilac is at its peak.  So similar yet so different, not only in its blossom but also its scent.  Our house has been filled with the fragrance of spring, although that too will be coming to a close as the last of the lilacs fade away.

We celebrated another ritual of spring this past weekend — a quick trip to the Kansas City area to attend my niece Alyssa’s high school graduation.  With her high school studies, sports, dance, and other activities behind her, she’s now looking forward to attending college in the fall.  Congratulations, Alyssa — you’ve made us all proud and we’re excited for you and your future endeavors.

The scent of lilacs

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One of the most delightful signs of spring is the emergence of the lilacs.  Here in Minnesota lilacs are used as trees, shrubs, and even hedges.  They are in every neighborhood, with some bushes looking like they’ve been there for decades.   By the sides of the highways and roadways there are blocks of lilacs, all in full bloom with various shades of purples, pinks, and whites.  Even more exciting than the sight of lilacs is the wonderful scent that floats throughout the air at this time of year.  A fresh rain shower, a light breeze, and the air is alive with their floral scent.  I have cut some of our lilacs and brought them into the house to enjoy the scent.  Although the blooms don’t last long, I will not tire of replacing the spent blossoms to enjoy their fragrance for the brief few weeks that they grace our landscape.

Spring’s softness

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Last week’s photograph was of vivid red tulips.  In the bright sunlight of spring, colors often become bold, striking, and rich in contrast.  But there’s also a flip side to the season, and that’s the softness that’s found in the spring palette.  When the sky is overcast, or in the early morning or late evening there’s a calming and quiet hush that sometimes settles over the gardens.  It’s almost as if nature is resting after all its exuberance in bursting forth after winter.  In trying to photograph this softness and hush I’ve chosen to take this image with a slight blur, making this more about the shapes, tones and feelings rather than the direct representation of the tulips.

Pasque flowers announcing spring

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One of the first prairie flowers to bloom in the spring are the pasque flowers.  They thrive in gravel prairies and are found in various areas throughout Minnesota.  Yesterday I ventured south of the Twin Cities to a Minnesota Scientific and Natural Area.  When I first arrived, the morning was cool and overcast, but I was thrilled to have found a wonderful slope dotted with these small pasque flowers.  Standing only 4 to 5 inches tall, they are easily overlooked from a distance.  As I walked along I found more and more of these little gems pushing their blooms up from under the brown grasses.  I spent over an hour photographing, all the while accompanied by the sounds of Canada geese and mourning doves.   As I stopped to take in the beauty of the landscape around me the skies slowly cleared and I was treated to a warm sun and beautiful pasque flowers against a blue sky — a delightful and wonderful welcome to spring.

Uncovered surprises

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With rain and warmer temperatures, most of our snow cover has melted.  What surprised me was what has now been uncovered.  Not only have I spotted tulips courageously pushing their tips above the ground, but I also found a beautiful dried hydrangea bloom.  Somehow it survived the winter without being crushed by the weight of snow.  I woke one morning to see it being blown by the wind across the front lawn.  So strong, and yet so delicate, its blossoms are sheer with amazing intricacies.  When backlit the bloom shines with the warmth and strength of the sun, and reminds me of other surprises to come in the change from winter to spring.